Bake a cake already!

Thursday, May 9, 2024: Ascension Day

The daily help shows up. The one paid monthly takes the day off on another government "red-letter day". Since Muslims don't believe Jesus "really" died and was resurrected, they give Good Friday off. But not Easter Sunday. However, Ascension Day is a thing. So interesting to us.

I try to add these berries to arrangements but they are fragile and roll off the stems at the slightest touch. They're pretty in the garden beside the path to the backyard.

I check the bathtub ponds, where one turtle, a group of frogs, and a school of fish live. The grasses and water lettuce are thriving.

W rigged a pump on the hydroponic system to push water through a few times a week. Everything is planted.

The garbage piles are growing along the walking loop.

The worms are making swift work of the avocado tree's leaves.

We cancel the mountain hike and join 2 friends going down the hill along the river. 

"Berhenti! (Stop!)" says the man to the motorcyclist below. But the guy driving up the hill pays no attention to the shouts as another bike descends on the steep and narrow "road." He gooses his bike and flings it up and around the pedestrian and cyclist, from the houses below to the walkway above. Drivers have amazing skills.

Someone is setting up a growing space. Quickly, a handful of 9-10" (20-25cm) spiders take up residence. How many can you spot?

To our left is a plunge to the river and on the other bank, the mountain houses are stacked wall to wall. Most neighborhood drainage on our side runs through this canal to the right of the walking path.

There's every variety of handmade bridge over the drainage canal. This one is bamboo and reclaimed wood.

A little girl sits in her stairwell beside the canal. Some residents build concrete bridges across.

Down below, pre-teen boys are jumping into the river from the other bank. Yay for school holidays.

We cross the busy Siliwangi Road to the Treetop Walk near ITB university.

The old banyan tree is a mass of roots along the sidewalk.

 In the distance, you see the university swimming pool.

The trail loops around through the forest, sometimes 10 meters high as the terrain rises and falls beneath.

Isn't it beautiful? 

Below are many trails through the forest floor.

We walk back to Dalaraos for $2 and $2.50 meals from their Sundanese buffet. We're there just before lunch - by the time we're done, there's a waiting line for our table.

The flavors are intense and mostly spicy. I wrap the hottest vegetables in lettuce and dip them in sambal (more hot sauce). So yummy. I can feel my stomach warming up with the spices.

W goes to sort out some storage at the hall while I come home to edit and write for the weekend. Meanwhile, IbuA and IbuS bake Sunday's chocolate cake.

"I'm making this for my grandchild's birthday party tomorrow," says Ibu A. It's quick and easy and tastes rich and delicious without expensive ingredients like butter or vanilla.

Friday

Walk. Then Gail and I sort out the syllabus. We're getting closer to what we need. We're having lunch with friends, our first time at #TinySeed in KBP. The food is fresh and refreshing.

We pop into another friend's house to pick up IbuS's purchase: a big rice cooker. IKEA has a cheap wall clock to replace one that broke. I find some tablecloth hangers in As-Is, but it's a quick trip and we're back by mid-afternoon.

Saturday

I sleep in because I'm up 3 hours at night - the books of Hebrews and James are interesting listening, though. We walk and W heads to town as usual while I hang tablecloths, sort cabinets, and work on a few other things. I'm wrapping up when he gets home at noon.

 

The syllabus for July's class is sent off. Finally. 

 

A neighbor comes for tea and discussion on how to serve the community. He makes an "impossible" proposal but asks us to counter with something closer to our capacity. "We'll be in touch."

 

Sunday

It's International Mother's Day. Moms are celebrated with roses (thanks, Ibu Titik!). Angie compiles a dozen submissions about our moms are into two videos. What joy to remember how special our moms are to us. We say thank you to a couple serving here for the past years, too.

 

Lunch with friends is a pleasure at Miss Bee, a short walk around the corner from the hall.

We come home to a hangout on the Porch.

The young people laugh and talk and eat together, many cultures and many languages.

Read more:

*God wounds, but he binds up; he strikes, but his hands heal. Job 5:18

 

*For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen. Romans 11:36

Moravian Prayer: O divine Healer, we come to you with sickness and infirmity—some obvious and visible, some invisible or hidden. Help us to recognize our illnesses and frailties, and to take what steps we need to restore ourselves to wholeness, so that we may fully worship and praise you forever. Amen.